Jr. NBA selection camp slated next month
FOR THE third straight year, Jr. NBA Philippines returns to country’s Summer Capital for the regional selection camp next month.
Slated March 23 – 24, Baguio City will play hosts to hundreds of young basketball aspirants in the program, which aims to teach the fundamental skills and core values of the game at the grassroots level, will once again include nationwide youth clinics, coaching workshops, and training camps.
Presented by Alaska, the two day regional selection camp will return for the 12th consecutive year and expand to provide youth in the region the opportunity to represent Asia Pacific in the second Jr. NBA Global Championship, a youth basketball tournament for the top 13 and 14 – year – old boys and girls teams from around the world that will be held Aug. 611 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla.
Last week, Jr. NBA Philippines 2019 tipped off in Manila with a train-the-trainers clinic for teachers and coaches.
This year, the Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia Pacific regional competition will expand to include youth from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
As many as five boys and five girls from the Jr. NBA Philippines National Training Camp will be selected to participate in the first Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia Pacific Qualifiers, a week-long event in June that will feature top youth players from the region. The top performing 10 boys and 10 girls will represent Asia Pacific in the Jr. NBA Global Championship.
“As we expand the Jr. NBA Philippines program, we are excited to introduce new opportunities for players and coaches to gain an enriching experience playing with and learning from peers of diverse cultural backgrounds,” said NBA Philippines Managing Director Carlo Singson. “Together with longtime partner Alaska, we are committed to growing the Jr. NBA Philippines into an inclusive program that fosters a safe and fun environment for boys and girls to compete, learn the fundamental skills and values of the game, and positively impact the next generation of Filipino athletes.”
“Jr. NBA Philippines presented by Alaska continues to be a great platform to reach kids at a young age and inspire them to learn the fundamentals of the game in a fun and engaging way,” said Alaska Basketball Powercamp Director Jeff Cariaso. “We look forward to leveraging the excitement of the NBA to inspire basketball participation and utilizing the Jr. NBA Philippines program to promote the importance of active play and proper nutrition among the Filipino youth.”
Aside from Baguio, other regional selection camps will be staged in Lucena (March 9-10), Metro Manila (April 27-28), and a city in Visayas and Mindanao to select the top 40 boys and 40 girls that will advance to the National Training Camp in Metro Manila (May 1719), which will feature an NBA and WNBA player or legend. Online registration for Regional Selection Camps opens today at www.jrnba.asia/philippines.
Jr. NBA Philippines 2019 will also include the Jr. NBA Coach of the Year program to provide training for 14 Jr. NBA coaches during the National Training Camp, culminating with the male and female Jr. NBA Coach of the Year attending the Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia Pacific Qualifiers.
Jr. NBA Philippines furthers Alaska Sports’ mission to provide proper nutrition to youth through its leading brands - Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink and Alaska Chocolate Powdered Milk Drink - and by encouraging an active and healthy lifestyle.
Participants can now register for the Jr. NBA program online at www.jrnba.asia/ philippines, and follow Jr. NBA on Facebook and the NBA at www.nba.com and on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can visit www.alaskamilk.com to learn more about Alaska Milk Corporation, and follow Alaska Milk on Facebook for more information about Alaska Sports.